Media Evolution: Print, Radio, TV, Online, Twitter?!

Author: Matt

18 May

I continue to be amazed at all of the interactions being had on Twitter with traditional/social media professionals and others. In fact, today’s announcement by Cision introducing their new service called JournalistTweets followed by another amazing conversation tonight on #journchat made me think about something…

Is Twitter becoming a new media platform itself?

I say this for many reasons…not just because of the Twitter hype we’re experiencing today. Let me try and explain with these 3 points:

1 – The News Push – I’ve been able to replace all of my RSS news feeds because most of the major news outlets I traditionally follow are broadcasting their news via Twitter (i.e., here is an amazing list compiled by Sarah Evans – MediaOnTwitter).

2 – The Micro Blog – Most media (journalists and bloggers) are using Twitter to market their stories or blogs to others. Granted, they are only using Twitter to supplement their “story marketing” but there is no doubt that the traffic being created by these tactics are growing rapidly.

3 – The “Conversation” – This is the biggest reason (and most powerful weapon of Twitter) I am so bold to make a statement that this is becoming it’s own media platform – like TV, radio, print, etc. On Twitter journalists are conversing with mass audiences (not just PR/Communications professionals), tapping into general interest and niche expertise alike. In the same right, these casual conversations are becoming news themselves.

Am I going on a limb here? Perhaps drinking too much Twitter Kool-Aid? Or do you too believe that Twitter has morphed into so much more than just another social media or networking platform. Talk with me!

Filed under: Media Relations, PR, Social Media

3 Responses for "Media Evolution: Print, Radio, TV, Online, Twitter?!"

Anna Barcelos May 18th, 2009 at 7:46 pm 1
Matt, no doubt Twitter is very powerful. I also wasn’t aware of that long PR list of media folks on Twitter, thanks to you (and Sarah).

I think the most important thing to realize here is not necessarily that Twitter is replacing some of the other media outlets (there are still some media folks not utilizing Twitter because it “overwhelms” them) but as an additonal wayreach the media in real-time with potential news.

We still need to respect how the media likes to be communicated to and in what way. Most of us think that Twitter rocks for communicating, but it’s always best to double-check with the particular journalist or editor to find out what method they prefer for reaching them. It’s all about respect and consideration. Same as off-line.
Gina LaGuardia May 18th, 2009 at 8:25 pm 2
I definitely agree with you, Matt. I’m finding Twitter to be an enriching tool that fuels the process of reporting, writing, editing, *and* deploying content.

I think all of its elements — the functionality as RSS feed (I, too, base most of my daily reading on URLs in my Twitterstream); the platform it affords us to broadcast our thoughts; and the opportunity to engage others about a story we’re working on, one we just read, or one that may still be in developmental infancy — are amazing parts of what will make news intriguing again.

(I, too, may have had a swig of your Twitter Kool-Aid….)
Mike Pilarz May 19th, 2009 at 2:04 pm 3
You pose some great questions, Matt.

What interests me most about this discussion is the point you brought up about give up on traditional RSS. I haven’t yet done the same, but I’m getting there. Still afraid that relying entirely on my Twitter following might cause me to miss something. But like many have pointed out, logging in to Google Reader feels more and more like drinking from a fire hose.

Then again, so does Twitter sometimes.